For the Nets, basketball without Caris LeVert had a gloomy start after being crushed 120-107 by the visiting Miami Heat on their first game back from a four game road trip.
Maybe they were over compensating. Maybe they’re just not as good as they’ve looked in their six wins this season. Or maybe it’s both. Who knows. One thing is clear, the Nets(6-9) looked lost without their leading scorer.
“That first game back is always difficult, especially when you’re coming off of a long west coast trip, but then just the significance of how the injury happened, him being really our heart and soul of the team up until this point, our go-to scorer and facilitator,” said Joe Harris after the game.
The Nets certainly did not play with any heart and soul on Wednesday night. From the start they couldn’t buy a shot, nor could they stop Miami (6-8) from making them. Brooklyn came out of the gate and shot an abysmal 25 percent from the field while allowing the Heat to score 37 first quarter points on 62.5 percentage shooting.
In the second quarter the game looked to be taking a turn for the Nets after veteran forward Jared Dudley entered the game with 6:15 left in the quarter. Dudley immediately made an impact scoring a quick 10 points cutting the lead 45-56.
The energy was contagious and the stiff Nets began to show signs of life. However with 10.1 left in the half Nets forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson went down with an apparent leg injury while attempting to steal the ball from Wayne Ellington. The energy in the arena seemed to disappear as did the teams.
Eventually Hollis-Jefferson, who scored 14 points and grabbed 9 rebounds, returned in the third quarter, but by that point it didn’t make a difference as Miami’s red-hot scoring night continued finishing the game with a 54.1 shooting percentage from the field.
The Nets, on the other hand, finished the game shooting a lowly 40.1 percent from the floor. D’Angelo Russell’s 33.3 percent from the field on 6-18 shooting that stood out the most. Russell has the skill set to lead this team at the moment, but against Miami he just couldn’t put it together.
Of course he wasn’t on his own with a poor shooting night––DeMarre Carroll was 22.2 percent from the field, Allen Crabbe shooting slump continued with a 33.3 percent dud and Shabazz Napier finished shooting 38 percent on 5-13 shooting.
Adding to the damage was the foul trouble the Nets found themselves in throughout the game, Crabbe fouled out of the game in the fourth, while Harris and Russell picked up four fouls each.
Road trip or not, losing LeVert definitely affected the Nets and maybe they just need a few games to adjust, but coach Kenny Atkinson expects more from his guys.
“I think that a lot of those units that we threw out there tonight hadn’t played a lot together, but that shouldn’t be an excuse. We know each other, we’ve been to training camp,” said Atkinson after the game.
No matter what the expectations are for the rest of the team losing LeVert is going to be tough, and this loss to Miami shows how important he was to the their success so far this season.
“Obviously just sort of the energy and enthusiasm and leadership that he brings, that’s a void that we miss a lot and it is going to be an adjustment for us, but at the same time everybody is presented with an opportunity to step up,” said Harris who finished the game with 11 points on 44 percent shooting from the field. “We have to take advantage of having some ownership individually across the board and taking on just the opportunity that’s presented to each guy across the board.”
While there is an expectation for everyone to take some of the load, someone still needs to step up and against Miami, Spencer Dinwiddie certainly came to play. The combo guard finished with 18 points, 5 assists and 3 boards.
“I think Spencer has to step up in a bigger role. Definitely Spencer should take up that role and that challenge of someone who is easily capable of upping his scoring five to six points and getting more shot attempts,” said Dudley after the game, who also agrees that the entire team needs to step it up while LeVert is out.
Before the game Sean Marks addressed reporters about Caris LeVert’s’ injury, however the Nets still do not have a timetable on when the third year forward will return to the court, but it is likely he will return this season.
“Put it this way, I’d never bet against Caris LeVert,” said Marks about LeVert getting back to full strength.
